title: Impact of perfluorooctanesulfonate and perfluorooctanoic acid on human peripheral leukocytes.
abstract: Perfluorinated compounds (PFCs), such as perfluorooctanesulfonate (PFOS) and perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA), are xenobiotics that can be detected worldwide in the environment, wildlife, and humans. So far, the immunotoxicity of PFCs has only been investigated in rodents, but not in humans. In this study, we explore the impact of PFOS and PFOA on selected functions of human leukocytes in vitro. PFOS induced a significant decrease of natural killer-cell activity and reduced the release of the pro-inflammatory cytokine TNF-α following lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-stimulation. Furthermore, the plasma PFOS concentrations (2.09-8.98 ng/ml) found in our study subjects correlated positively with the LPS-stimulated IL-6 release. PFOA augmented significantly calcitriol-induced monocytic differentiation of the HL-60 cell line. Additionally, there was a significant linear relationship between LPS-stimulated TNF-α and IL-6 release, and the plasma PFOA (1.20-6.92ng/ml) concentrations of the study subjects. In conclusion, the investigated PFCs affect human immune cells mainly with regard to natural killer-cell cytotoxicity and the pro-inflammatory cytokine release by stimulated macrophages.
authors.affiliation: Institute of Immunology, Medical Faculty, RWTH Aachen University, Pauwelsstrasse 30, 52074 Aachen, Germany.
authors.forename: Anne
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Brieger
authors.forename: Nicole
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Bienefeld
authors.forename: Rafah
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Hasan
authors.forename: Roland
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Goerlich
authors.forename: Hajo
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Haase
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D017738:Alkanesulfonic Acids / Q000493:pharmacokinetics / Q000633:toxicity*; D002210:Caprylates / Q000493:pharmacokinetics / Q000633:toxicity*; D005260:Female; D005466:Fluorocarbons / Q000493:pharmacokinetics / Q000633:toxicity*; D018922:HL-60 Cells; D006801:Humans; D066298:In Vitro Techniques; D007694:Killer Cells, Natural / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism; D007963:Leukocytes, Mononuclear / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000378:metabolism; D008070:Lipopolysaccharides / Q000494:pharmacology; D008264:Macrophages / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism; D008297:Male; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D017738:Alkanesulfonic Acids; D002210:Caprylates; D005466:Fluorocarbons; D008070:Lipopolysaccharides; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha; C023036:perfluorooctanoic acid; C076994:perfluorooctane sulfonic acid